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National Service Act of 2279
The National Service Act of 2279 was a legislative piece passed by the Congress of the New California Republic in 2279 formally signing Executive Order 1034 into law. The act mandated that all NCR citizens ages 16-51 to register in the National Service Program making them eligable for conscription into the New California Republic Defense Force. The law passed both houses of the NCR Congress and was officially signed into law in April 2nd, 2279. Background During the Mojave Campaign, the New California Republic found itself fighting against the ruthless slaver army known as Caesar's Legion as its forces engaged the NCR in a brutal war of attrition across the Mojave Wasteland. Despite NCR troopers being well trained, equiped, and superior in quality to the Legionnaires, the latter was far more numerous and took its toll on the NCR with high casualties being sustained during the campaign. While the Legion's losses were far more higher, they had the numbers to sustain these losses and their all-military nature helped them a lot. With losses mounting and enlistment not being able to catch up, the NCR had no choice but to introduce military conscription and the act was soon passed two years into the campaign. Terms *'All citizens of the NCR between the ages of 16 and 51 are to register in the National Service Program.' *'All registered citizens are to be called up to fight whenever the government deems it necessary.' *'Citizens with poor health, educational path and religious objections are exempt from conscription.' *'Any citizen who avoids conscription will be arrested and sent to labor batallions for their service.' *'Citizens of New Vegas and NCR protectorates are exempt from conscription.' *'Members of settlement militias are exempt from conscription. ' *'Women and ghouls are eligable for conscription. ' Impact and Effects The passing of the National Service Act was highly controversial within the NCR as a whole. The majority of citizens supported the war against the Legion and wanted to win the Mojave Campaign, but few were willing to sign up and the high losses made enlistment rates stagnate further. Many viewed the act as necessary as the NCR would need all the available combat ready individuals they could in order to defeat the Legion, but many opposed it believing that the war was pointless and that the NCR should give up the Mojave and the New Vegas Strip viewing it as unimportant for the nation. The act was soon passed and resulted in over 12,000 citizens being conscripted into the NCR Army throughout 2279. The number would only rise with as many as 32,000 citizens being conscripted by 2281, the height and final year of the campaign, in anticipation for the Second Battle of Hoover Dam. New divisions and units were created as a result with the most notable examples being the 13th Infantry Battalion, the 7th Cavalry Company, and the Sixth Armored Division among others. The new units would perform well in the field, but morale officers were introduced due to low morale which plagued conscripted soldiers and units and the officers had the difficult task of keeping their fighting spirits alive and well throughout the campaign. The act remained enshrined in NCR law throughout the remainder of the Mojave Campaign and well afterwards. Following the end of the campaign during the New Vegas Offensive, morale had risen and with it came increased enlistment rates and conscription was soon on the decline. Despite deceased numbers of conscripts, the act remained in place as an "emergency bill" that would allow the NCR to mobilize any reserves they needed in the event they find themselves in another desperate situation that requires conscription. During the NCR Arizona Offensive, the number of conscripted soldiers had dropped from 44,000 maximum in 2281 to 20,000 by 2282 during the offensive, but conscripted soldiers continued to remain in the army during the Arizona Campaign. Category:Documents Category:New California Republic